Senior Health: Is the Keto Diet Safe for Seniors?

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Senior Keto Diet

So you’ve been hearing all about the latest fad diet, where people are cutting out carbs and sugar left and right and successfully lose weight – The is the keto diet! The craze has been so widespread that you may even be thinking about giving it a try for yourself. If you happen to be an older adult, you might also be wondering if this keto diet for seniors is a safe option for weight loss. Let’s take a look below to find out!

What is Keto?

To start, it’s good to know just what this diet is exactly about – and what’s required of you. The ketogenic diet focuses on getting your body into ketosis with a low-carb, high-fat diet. Ketosis is a natural process that happens when your body doesn’t have enough carbs to burn for energy. Rather than carbs, your body will focus on burning fat and making substances known as ketones, which your body uses for fuel.

So, how few carbs and how much fat are necessary? When you break down the nutritional “rules” of the keto diet, here’s what you get: 70 to 80 percent of your total daily calories from fat, 10 to 20 percent from protein, and five to 10 percent from carbohydrates. Get ready to measure your food before every snack and meal! You’ll also be creating a daily food log to make sure you’re getting in the required nutrition.

So now for the big question…

Is the Keto Diet for Seniors Safe?

This is a loaded question. As individuals, our health goals and needs range widely from person to person. For that reason, it’s best to follow the tips below before you begin any diet… especially if you’re a senior in home care.

Start by assessing your health: Are you in moderately good health? This is important to determine because you’ll be dropping some major food groups form diet, and therefore, you’re going to want to make sure you’re fairly healthy to begin with. This is not a diet that is recommended for seniors who have uncontrolled diabetes or eating disorders. But the keto diet can be a great nutritional tool for seniors who are looking to control their blood sugar or improve certain nutrient deficiencies, such as fats, B12, and iron.

What’s best to do before you begin the keto diet is to talk to your doctor – especially if you are taking any medications or have a chronic illness. Your doctor will help you assess your overall health, wellness, and conditions to determine if the keto diet for seniors is right for you.

Looking for more information for a healthy diet for seniors? Need the details surrounding a customized senior care plan? Call Home Care Assistance for your consultation!

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